Celebrated actor Matt Le Nevez hopes Peter Brock would be proud of his portrayal in the upcoming television miniseries depicting the late legend's life.
Le Nevez plays Brock in the two-part series which airs on the Ten Network next month.
On the 10th anniversary of the iconic racer's death Le Nevez, a longtime motor racing fan, has spoken about how his admiration of Brock has galvanised in the wake of the miniseries.
“I was sad that I never got to meet him. But I felt now that I've play him in this miniseries that I did in fact know him,” Le Nevez told Speedcafe.com.
Le Nevez has played several real-life identities previously including Dennis Lillee in the miniseries, Howzat, Kerry Packer's War.
“It's a heart-breaking story,” he said.
“It's one of true passion, a man who had ability and who backed himself and to his own detriment.
“What happened with the HDT (Holden Dealer Team) and the Energy Polariser… it was Shakespearean his life.
“For me to have the honour to play him and to get to know some of the friends and a bit of contact with the family, I really hope that I have done him proud.”
As a young bloke, the 37-year-old Le Nevez remembers fondly being in possession of a model VL Commodore which earned Brock his ninth Bathurst win in the 1987 Great Race.
“I'm a huge fan. I'm a fan first,” he said.
“For me I'm always trying to approach the role with the utmost respect and integrity for him (Brock).
“I had one of Brock's model cars from 1987, the car that he won his final Bathurst in.”
Le Nevez, who has watched countless Bathurst races on television, undertook his first trip to Mount Panorama last year on a reconnaissance mission before filming began on the miniseries.
“There's really nowhere like Bathurst and there's no-one like Brocky,” he said.
“He was there (at Bathurst) from the early days of when factory racing kicked in and the stuff he had with Harry Firth and the HDT.”
Speedcafe.com will publish more details about the making of the miniseries leading up to the scheduled screening of Part 1 on October 9.